The term close reading is quite self-explanatory, as it refers to a detailed observation and analysis of any piece of writing (in this case a poem). Close readings are necessary to decipher the purpose behind poetry and also to reveal specific hidden connotations. It is quite fascinating to observe that almost everyone would conclude their own distinctive analysis of the same poem. The underlying reasons behind this variation are personal experiences, frame of thought and prior perceptions.
Although, the average reader doesn’t exactly follow a pattern while closely reading a poem, there are some rough steps adopted by all. Firstly, the reader goes through the title, and in most cases this sets the basis for the perception to be adopted throughout the poem. Readers will constantly associate the body of the poem with the title. Moreover, the subject of the poem and In Critical Reading: A Guide, the author dictates a specific process that most readers should adopt before analyzing a poem. Firstly, people should decipher the title and then thoroughly go through the poem for a generalized idea of the voice and the prime domination throughout the course . The subject of domination would be anything that the poet addresses repetitively in a poem. It could be something as mundane as a flower, or as serious as death and murder. Furthermore, readers must divide the poems into different sections, preferably stanzas and scrutinize the depth of each verse and the concepts it builds and how it is altered with each successive verse. Lastly, the poem must be read out loudly to make out any other details that might have been left out.
The genre of the poem, structure, primary argument and the person who is speaking are critical aspects that reveal the primary purpose of the poem. These clues will fit into the big picture and assist in providing some insight regarding the author’s thoughts. It is impossible to predict the rationale behind an entire poem with just reading the first few lines. The perfect example of this would be ‘I Cannot Live Without You’ by Emily Dickinson begins by offering the some heartfelt notes about how it is impossible for the poet to survive with his lover. The poet then progresses on to mention how he cannot die with the lover and even rise or fall alongside the object of affection. In each stanza a different level of impossibility is brought forth, and it is not preferable to conclude one facet of the writer’s emotions without reading the entire package offering. It is necessary to mention that definitely claiming that the author considers himself to be subject would be inadequate, since many other people would regarding the ‘I’ in the poem as explicitly discussing the yearning people feel for someone they are aware they can’t survive with.
Moreover, the ideology of the poem, the influence it takes from past works and the feelings it evokes in a reader can be evident sources of closely analyzing the piece of writing. The ideology would focus on societal and class related issues, and would also denote a reader’s cultural and historical standing from the piece of writing. For instance, ‘I Too’ by Langston Hughes discusses the tyranny of the majority on the blacks when they were confined to slavery in America. This is apparent when he states ‘I am the darker brother, they send me to eat in th kitchen when company comes’. Someone who is not related to American history or comes from an alternate part of the world would have a completely different perspective on this than an American national. However, it portrays a sociopolitical ideology that is hinted at quite unambiguously written.
Lastly, the poem under consideration is irrelevant and a similar course of action needs to be adopted for all. It does not necessarily have to be by the book, but it can surely build upon the writing by reflecting a reader’s own thoughts and even the poets. In most cases, poets don’t intend to lay emphasis a particular topic, but readers due to their own point of views extract different implications from the text. It is not incorrect to carry out a close reading of a poem, in fact it makes the experience of going through a literary text far more enjoyable and personal by adding certain imagery and notions to it.
Works Cited
Lye, Professor John. Critical Reading: A Guide. Trafford Publishing, 1996.
